It was, for the most part, a rough season for small forwards. All-Stars like Danny Granger, Luol Deng and Carmelo Anthony were all at 43.0 percent shooting or worse in 2011-12, and good 3-point shooters like Rudy Gay and Danilo Gallinari found themselves in the low 30s from the arc. Of course, it was a different story at the top of the list, where LeBron James and Kevin Durant waged a season-long battle for the mantle of league’s best player. In the end, James came out on top, but Durant is right on his heels.

The skinny: James finally has his championship ring, and with three MVP trophies in the last four years, has removed any questions about his status as the best player in the world. At 27 and with the pressure of a winning a title finally off his shoulders, expect James to continue to flourish this year.

Scouting view: “Look out for that post-up game. He showed it in flashes last year, and he needs some time to learn to trust it. But the more it works, the more he is going to go to it, and then as a matchup, he becomes a bigger nightmare.”

The skinny: Durant remains a deadly scorer from pretty much anywhere on the floor, but has rounded out his game with improved playmaking, rebounding and defense. If not for James, he would easily be the league’s top player.

Scouting view: “Pick-and-roll, spot-up shooting, transition, no matter what it is, offensively, he is going to get it done. He is still one of the best in the league at scoring out of just pure isolation, but he can do it all, really.”

The skinny: It was a down year for Anthony, who dealt with a series of injuries and incompatibility with coach Mike D’Antoni, which finally resulted in D’Antoni leaving the team. Now that the offense will be running through him, he must bring up his shooting numbers (43.0 percent, 33.5 percent on 3-pointers).

Scouting view: “Last year just shows you, he needs the offense to go through him. I don’t think you can ever win a championship that way, because he is not a playmaker and he just doesn’t get enough of his teammates involved. But they can still be a good team with him in that role.”

The skinny: Pierce turns 35 in a few weeks, but because he has improved his shooting and relies more on stop-and-start deception than athleticism, he has been able to maintain his productivity. The Celtics have added depth, which should allow Pierce’s minutes to be scaled back.

Scouting view: “He is amazing because you almost know exactly what he is going to do before he does it, but you can’t stop it. He has developed his 3-point shot very nicely and that elbow jumper from the right side is just something you can’t defend.”

The skinny: Gay is maligned because he can’t possibly play up to the max contract the Grizzlies gave him, but he is still one of the best wings in the league. His 3-point shooting tanked last year, dropping from 39.6 percent to 31.2 percent.

Scouting view: “He seemed to make some progress before he got hurt two years ago, but he gave some of that back last year, I think. He needs to be more of an all-around player and not just a scorer. That includes the defensive end, he is too lax on that end too often.”

The skinny: Granger is an odd case, because he is in his prime and yet has seen his shooting efficiency drop four straight years—he finished with 41.6 percent shooting last year. He is a solid defender, though, and did cut his turnovers dramatically.

Scouting view: “He loves to shoot the 3, and he can make those shots. But he attacks the rim less than he used to, and he is a very good free-throw shooter, so it would be nice if that was a bigger part of his game.”

The skinny: Batum’s talent is obvious, but if you watch him enough, you get the sense he should be better than he is. He is long and athletic, with excellent perimeter shooting touch, but he does not like contact.

Scouting view: “It would be nice to see him work on a post-up game. He is a good finisher at the rim, he is very good cutting to the basket and finishing. He could create those opportunities in the post. But it is not part of his game and you have to wonder if it ever will be.”

The skinny: The Nets traded for Wallace at the deadline last March, then overpaid him in the summer, hoping that having a veteran small forward on hand would help persuade Deron Williams to stay. It worked, but now the Nets are stuck with Wallace, a decent offensive player and average defender.

Scouting view: “He is very good moving without the ball, and I wonder if that is going to be something that the Nets can exploit, because they have two very good passers in Joe Johnson and Deron Williams. But he is going to be the fourth option on this team any way you look at it.”

The skinny: Gallinari had a brutal year shooting the ball (41.4 percent from the field, 32.8 percent from the 3-point line) and that will need to be cleaned up. But he is a good scorer and an underrated defender who should improve this year.

Scouting view: “He has too good of a stroke to continue to slump the way he has from the perimeter. But he needs to be more consistent. It looked last year like he was caught short when the season started and wasn’t in great condition. You hope he corrects that.”

The skinny:The persistent injuries to star guard Derrick Rose put added pressure on Deng, and it seemed to wear on him—his scoring average dipped each month. Like many featured scorers, his shooting took a big hit last year, to 41.2 percent, well below his 46.5 percent career average. He remains a very good defender.

Scouting view: “He needs to be a No. 2 or 3 option. He is an excellent spot-up shooter, and that is why he works so well playing with Rose. But he is not a guy who can create his own shot.”